Feeding black soldier fly larva to replace soybean meal in growing pigs – responses in the amine metabolites in blood

Insect meals from black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens; BSF) larvae as dietary protein source have the ability to deliver nutrients, particularly dietary amino acids (AA) and could provide functional properties that positively supports animal health and productivity. More knowledge, however, is needed to assess the impact of BSF based diet on gut and animal health. Sixteen male pigs with an average initial body weight of 34.9 ± 3.4 kg were randomly assigned to groups fed for three weeks with iso-caloric and iso-proteinaceous experimental diets prepared with either soybean meal (SBM) as reference protein source or with BSF, as single source of dietary protein. At the end of the feeding trial, blood plasma were collected to study the changes at systemic level in plasma amine metabolites as an effect of the experimental diet.